Today, powdered infant formula is manufactured by more than a dozen firms in 40-50 processing plants worldwide. These formulations have to comply with strict regulations which allow for the use of only a limited number of ingredients which should or may be present within narrow ranges. Any changes beyond the regulatory nutrient requirements have to be notified to the regulatory bodies which have the authority to take compliance action if needed.
Hitherto, the main challenges the infant formula manufacturers face are those concerning nutritional and microbiological properties of infant formula, in their attempts to mimic human milk. Aside, there are however also issues concerning nutrient imbalances and powder flow properties. Some of these problems are easy dosing by preventing clumping and ease dissolving of the powder in water which is related to a particle structure and size distribution. This remains to be a challenging task for the manufacturers. Both moisture and fat present in infant formula potentially contribute to caking.
According to the instruction manuals provided with the commercial infant formulae, the end user should prepare a milk bottle by measuring the amount of powder using a scoop or spoon, and dispersing the pre-determined amount in water at the desired temperature. US 2008/0041861 is an example thereof. Without improved flow properties, scoops or spoons cannot be dispensed with; yet these spoons and scoops are found inconvenient by users: These typically end up in the powder and if left damp can become coated with powder. Dosing with scoops and spoons may be regarded as problematic. US2012/0000929 fails to provide a suitable solution using conventional infant formula.
In the art there is thus a need to avoid or minimize lumping and cohesion particularly when dispensing the formula in water.